Florida's battle against the CCP intensifies as Gov. DeSantis signs three new bills

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continues to confront the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), signing three new bills into law that restrict the CCP's ability to acquire land, crack down on data collection, and ban CCP influence in Florida's education system.

On Monday, Governor DeSantis signed SB 264, SB 846, and SB 258, a legislative package considered the strongest in the nation against the CCP's influence. DeSantis has been aggressive in his stance towards China, with a Chinese think tank naming him among the five most assertive U.S. governors against the communist nation in 2019.

The new laws have several key provisions:

• Prohibit Chinese entities or affiliates from purchasing farmland in Florida or land near military bases and critical infrastructure.
• Prevent sensitive data storage on servers potentially owned by entities affiliated with the CCP.
• Ban CCP influence in primary and secondary education institutions.
• Block access to potentially dangerous applications, such as TikTok, on government and educational institution servers and devices.

Governor DeSantis emphasized the importance of these measures, stating that Florida is taking a stand against the CCP, the greatest geopolitical threat to the United States. He criticized American elites for prioritizing short-term profits over long-term interests, which has negatively impacted the nation's industrial base and security.

These new actions build on legislation DeSantis signed in 2021, which includes measures to strengthen foreign financial connection vetting, increase scrutiny of research grant applicants, mandate disclosure of foreign donations over $50,000, prohibit specific agreements with countries of concern, and create new criminal offenses for the theft and trafficking of trade secrets.